What counts
by Teari
Summary: There are some things that can’t be said. And then there are those people who can say these things,but don’t. This story focuses on something that can’tbe said-from the perspectives of Yamcha, Trunks, andVegeta.


TITLE: What Counts  
  
AUTHOR: Teari  
  
PAIRING (if applicable): none  
  
RATING: PG/PG 13(?)  
  
WARNINGS: POV from: Yamcha  
Vegeta  
Trunks  
  
  
  
  
I think I went a little ooc on Vegeta...well, he's  
really… in tune with his feelings at this point. I  
kinda don't see that as being IC for him.  
  
  
Just my opinions on that.  
  
NOTES: This story takes place during the Android Saga,  
when Mari Trunks comes to help the Z senshi. This also  
takes place after the time Vegeta and Mari Trunks  
spent in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.  
ARCHIVE: I'll be putting it up at Fanfiction.net  
soon...my other fic (the untitled songfic is there as  
well, only I finally found a name for it. It's called  
"Don't Go.")is there as well. Under Teari. Also-I  
want to thank my Betas, Mara and Kichi-I'm so sorry I  
didn't get the fic I wanted to send out to you guys  
sent, but this demanded that I write it first! Thanks  
for Betaing for me.  
  
I owe you.  
  
  
DISCLAMERS: I don't own DBZ. I do own a crappy car,  
and if you sue me, you will get that, and a really  
crappy fast food job.   
I am in no way making any profit off of this. If I  
were, I'd be in the Caribbean. Or shopping.   
Please, don't sue. You will only regret it, as I have  
nothing you want.  
  
  
  
SUMMARY: There are some things that can't be said. And  
then there are those people who can say these things,  
but don't. This story focuses on something that can't  
be said-from the perspectives of Yamcha, Trunks, and  
Vegeta.   
  
  
~Thoughts~  
  
  
  
Vegeta's POV  
"Who are you?!"   
Your voice is full of anger. And I lower my head. I  
know you know the answer...yet it seems the question  
burns in my ears. So, it seems I must answer...but I  
don't quite know how to answer it. You know who I am.  
Yet, it seems you refuse to acknowledge that. And your  
eyes...so much like your mother's. And right now, they  
remind me of her.   
Demanding to be answered. Purposely playing dumb. So,  
I smirk and give the only answer I can.  
"You know who I am."  
~Do you even have any idea on how true that is?~  
  
  
Trunk's POV  
I look at my father. Even after spending one year  
with him...I still don't know him. Not one bit. He was  
every bit as callous, cruel, and an enigma as Mother  
and Gohan said he was. Yet, he answered my question.   
In his own way. ~Why can't he just give me a straight  
answer for once! ~  
"Do I?" I ask, angrily. ~Why is he saying that! I  
have no clue as to who he is...it's not like he's been  
in my life-he's dead where I come from! ~ Yet, I  
know-or at least, Mother said she knew- that he loved  
me. How, I so badly wanted to ask her. But I knew she  
would never answer me.  
  
  
Vegeta's POV  
When you spoke that last time, your words were harsh  
and cold. I image that tone must sound like my own.   
And I see your eyes narrow unconsciously. It seems you  
are preparing yourself. But are you preparing yourself  
for something or against it? I shake my head. It's  
still lowered, but I know you don't notice.   
~I wish he would stop playing dumb. He knows who I am.  
He must. Did that time in that blasted room mean  
nothing?! Kakerrot...if it meant nothing to him I'll   
kill you for sure.~  
"Yes." My voice is quiet.   
But I have said all I need to. I can see you want  
more...there is a question in your eyes that I see. I  
let out a small growl; that question is one you will  
never ask. Just as your mother has never asked it, nor  
in truth, do I expect her to. It may be one day she  
will expect an answer. I only hope I can answer her  
question. ~Especially since I'm not sure if I can.  
Baka woman. She doesn't ask outloud anyway...but it is  
always there. So there is a type of understanding...it  
shows in her eyes.~   
I raise my head. You have not said anything...and I  
begin to wonder if your eyes show that understanding  
your mother's do. ~I hope so. I....~  
  
  
Trunk's POV  
I can't say anything. I look at your face...and it  
seems impassive. Cold. Any signs of warmth that were  
there-that I gained from the Time Chamber, gone. I can  
almost convince myself that they were never there.  
Almost. Yet, I see the strange look in your eye and I  
want to understand it. ~Almost like you are looking  
for something. They are so...dark. And yet, strangely  
empty. Like Mother's...only intensified somehow. As if  
there's...more.~  
"I know who you are?" I ask. It is what I consider to  
be my 'reasonable voice'. It is very...remote to my  
ears, and from the way my father picks up I know he  
noticed. Mother laughs at it and says I sound like my  
father.   
  
  
Vegeta's POV  
I raise my eyebrow. ~That boy...he's beginning to  
sound like me. I suppose I shouldn't be so surprised.  
He is my son. ~  
Yet...your words are cold. As if you are trying to  
make sure you know the question before you answer it.  
I suppress an urge to sigh, although I really want to  
beat your brains in. ~ You know this! The question,  
the answer...why must you continue with this type of  
mindless questioning?! It must be those human genes of  
yours. DAMN IT! You are acting too much like Bulma! ~  
"Yes. You do."  
  
  
Trunk's POV  
I am surprised. You spoke as if you were explaining  
something to Yamcha. He's the only one I've ever heard  
you use that short of a voice with. It's almost as if  
you were trying to NOT say something. ~ Mother...when  
I get home, you and I are going to have to talk. If  
this is Father's way of talking, I think I prefer your  
method-I feel as if I'm going to go to pieces! Why  
won't he say it? What keeps him from saying what I  
want him to say to me...to you? ~   
Yet, I do the only option I can. ~ He won't say it  
unless pushed. I have to hear him say it...it means so  
much to me; and it would mean even more to you. Here  
goes nothing. ~  
"Why?" I ask. I see your face start to contort...and  
at first, I thought you were in pain, but it soon  
changed into laughter. A dry, chuckle-like  
laughter...but laughter nonetheless.   
  
  
Yamcha's POV  
I hear laughter. Little do Trunks and Vegeta know  
I've been listing...well, I'm pretty sure Vegeta  
knows. I've never seen anyone but Bulma (or Goku)  
even try to eavesdrop on Vegeta. ~ And both did it by  
accident. ~ I snort.   
~ I still wonder how he did it...he made her love  
him. I could never do that. For starters, I couldn't  
compete with her inventions, or keep her from thinking  
about them.~ Besides, It's not like I don't love her-I  
do. She just wasn't IN love with me. And here was  
their son, asking Vegeta a simple question.   
~But it's not so simple. He's just not asking who  
Vegeta is...Trunks is asking if he's man enough to  
admit that he loves Bulma and himself. He's asking  
only to prove to himself that his father wanted him  
and her. ~  
"I don't understand! Why are you laughing? Can't you  
see that this is important?!" Trunks yells. I wince.   
He sounds exactly like his father. But he looks like  
his mother.  
~ He could have been mine, Bulma. He should have been  
mine. Then he wouldn't be asking if his father loved  
him or you. He'd know. ~  
"Boy, I'm laughing because you are trying to get me  
to say something that woman wants to hear." Vegeta's  
voice is...warm, friendly almost.   
"And don't I count?" Trunks counters. I can feel his  
ki rising. He's mad, but, strangely enough, Vegeta's  
ki hasn't moved.  
"Yes. You count. And so does she, boy." Vegeta says  
this quietly, as if he is afraid that if he says it  
too loudly, it won't be true.   
~ Like he's trying not to jinx himself...~   
Vegeta turns and leaves. Trunks is still there...  
shaking his head. "What just happened, Yamcha?" He  
asks me after his father had left.  
"You sensed me?" Somehow, I'm not surprised.  
Trunks shook his head. "No. I saw you." He smiles.  
I scratch my head. "Well, Trunks, if I had to guess,  
I'd say that Vegeta just told you that he cares."  
  
  
  
  



End file.
